ITA Distributes Access Tariff Filing Template

As reported in the May 9th ITA Special Report, an IUB Order issued on May 7th entitled "In Re: FCC Compliance Filings – Intrastate Access Tariffs” requires every ITA member to make a separate filing with the IUB to indicate whether you concur with the ITA Access Tariff, concur with another tariff, or will file your own tariff.  Click here to read the IUB’s Order.   

The IUB stated that the changes to intrastate access tariffs that are scheduled to become effective on July 1, 2012 need to be filed in advance to allow the IUB and the OCA to exercise appropriate oversight and to allow the IXCs to monitor reductions in the intrastate access rates they will be billed.  Most ITA companies can be broken down into one of two categories:

1. LECs that concur in the ITA Access Tariff #1, or concur in another Access Tariff.  Every LEC that concurs in the ITA Access Tariff (or another LEC’s intrastate access tariff) must make a filing with the IUB identifying the tariff in which the LEC concurs by June 1, 2012.  Some telcos will have their consultants file this letter.  For those wishing to file their own, ITA has prepared a simple template that can be used.  Click here to access that template.   
2. LECs that will file or revise their own tariffs.  LECs revising their own tariffs are encouraged to file their revisions no later than May 29, 2012.

Filing guidance.

1. LECs filing tariff revisions or other filings pursuant to this Order should title their filings "FCC Compliance Filing – Intrastate Access Rates” using the Board’s electronic filing system (EFS) and should reference Docket No. IAC-2012-2214.  Upon receipt of a filing in EFS, the Board’s Records and Information Center will assign each filing a TF docket number.
2. To make an electronic filing with the IUB, go to https://efs.iowa.gov/efs/ and click on the "submit filing” button at the top of the page.   Each individual user needs to obtain a USER ID and password, or it can be submitted as "a guest.”   Complete the requested information, including the title of the filing.  For this filing, the docket number should be IAC-2012-2214.  Prior to uploading your document, white out any signatures.  Signatures should not be visible in electronic filings. Using the "Add Documents” button at the bottom of the page, attach the document, either in "MS Office” or PDF format.  You will see an "Upload Complete" message when your filing has been uploaded into EFS.    There is a list of resources with more detailed instructions located on the EFS home page.  For questions on EFS filings, contact the EFS help desk at (515) 725-7337, or email efshelpdesk@iub.iowa.gov.
3. Resistances to Tariff filings must be made within 14 days of the date of each individual filing.
4. In the event a carrier considers any of the documentation required for the tariff filings to be confidential, the carrier shall file both a public and confidential version of the material using the Board’s electronic filing system (EFS) according to the Board’s rules at 199 IAC 14.2, along with a request for confidential treatment, pursuant to 199 IAC 1.9 and Iowa Code § 22.7.

The IUB says that in most cases, Board approval of the tariff filings will be indicated by letter issued by the Board’s Telecommunications Section staff reflecting the July 1st effective date, assuming that all outstanding resistances, objections, or concerns have been resolved.  For tariff filings where resistances have not been resolved by July 1, 2012, the Board may decide to process and approve each tariff on a case-by-case basis pursuant to the Board’s authority under 199 IAC 22.14.